The Case of Cem by Vera Mutafchieva (translated by Angela Rodel) is published by Sandorf Passage. Since its initial publication in 1967, it’s been considered a classic piece of Bulgarian literature, an assessment judge Chris Via agrees with:
Since The Case of Cem is composed as a series of depositions, I was a little apprehensive at first. But this proved to be quite an engaging and smooth-reading narrative! With every page, I found myself more and more invested in this flashpoint of history, and in awe of Mutafchieva’s deep knowledge and novelistic acumen (not to mention Rodel's translation that imparts these gleanings). It reminds me of what I love most about the novels of Umberto Eco: you get the expertise of a medievalist and historian, the passion of a teacher, and the creativity of a novelist, all in one book. I marveled at the different personalities Mutafchieva was able to paint and the clever way she established a linear narrative through a patchwork of opposing perspectives. This is not only a great piece of fiction, but an important explication of the schism between East and West, between Islam and Christianity.
